Garage door opener



June 7, 1932. J. T, CRAWLEY 1,862,469

GARAGE DOOR OPENER Filed April 10, 1930 2. Sheets-Sheet l 31a/vento@ J. T fan/iff June 7, 1932. J, CRAWLEY 1,862,469

GARAGE DOOR OPENER 4 Filed April 10, 1930 2. Sheets-Sheet.` 2

Patented June 7, 1932 VPATENT ori-ICEr JOSEPH T. CRAWLEY, OF FAYTTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA GARAGE :Doon OPENER Application filed April 10, 1930. Serial No. 443,157.

This invention relates to a garage door opening mechanism.

An object is to provide a novel construction whereby latching means for garage doors may be moved to open position automatically upon the approach or through the travel of the automobile.

Another object is to provide a novel construction whereby operative engagement be- Q "tion through downward movement of an tween the door or doors and the operating means is established when the doors are returned to closed position.

A further object is to provide a novel construction wherein a pedal operates a rod, pro- 15.' vided with cranks at opposite ends, one being connected to the pedal and the other to the door latching means.

The more specific objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the description following taken in connection with accompanying drawings illustrating an operative embodiment.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a view illustrating garage doors in elevation, equipped with my improvements,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6' is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 1, and

Figure 7 is a detail section taken on the line 7 7 of Figure 6.

Referring specifically to the drawings, l() designates a garage or the like which has a doorway adapted to be closed by a pair of doors 11 hinged at 12 so as to swing outwardly to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 2, to enable an automobile to drive into the garage.

Normally the doors are locked by latch mechanism 13 located on the inside of one of the doors and'coacting with a keeper 14 on the garage adjacent the door, the door not equipped with the latch means 13 having a cleat 15 which is overlapped by the other door. While not necessary to the practice of the invention, each door is provided with a means as at 16, of conventional form, adapted automatically to urge or project the same to the open' or dotted line position in Figure 2 when the latch device 13 is moved to doorreleasing position.

Said latch is moved to its retracted posiactuator 17 preferably having chain or flexible connection as at 18 with the latch, the latter being spring urged normally to locked or latched position. The actuator 17 is guided through staples or the like 19 secured on the adjacent door 11. At the lower end, the actuator has an open portion or loop 20.

The latch actuator 17 is adapted to be operated mediately through the operation of a treadle 21 located at a distance from the doors 1l and in the line of travel of one of the wheels of the automobile. Such treadle 2l is pivoted at 22 to a casing 23 sunk into the ground or driveway and preferably being supported by a concrete or equivalent base 24.

A portion of the treadle 21 is normally urged above the surface of the ground which is flush with the top of the casing 23, by an expansive spring 25, positioned by a rod 26 depending from the ramp and a recess 27 located in the base 24.

Sunk into the ground and extending from the casing 23 to a point adjacent the meeting edgesof the doors, is a pipe or conduit 28, constituting a mounting and bearing for operating a rock shaft 29. Said shaft 29 within the casing 23 has a crank 30 which at 31 is pivoted to a link 32 in turn pivoted at 33 to the treadle 21. The other end of the operating rod 29 has a crank 34 from which a free terminal or return portion 35 extends which extends into the loop 2O in the closed position of the doors 11.

As a result ofthe construction described, it will be realized that the cranks 30 and 34 secure the operating rod 29 against longitudinal displacement and that depression of the ramp 21 under the action of a wheel of the vehicle rocks the operating rod 29, accordingly moving the free end 35 downwardcri ly and thereby moving the actuator 17 downwardly and retracting the latch, whereupon the doors l1 under the action of the devices 16 immediately and automatically move to open position so that the vehicle may drive into the garage. Thereafter spring 25 restores the operating rod and particularly the element 35 thereof to normal position so that When the doors are thereafter manually closed, the loop 2O automatically engages or receives the element 35.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall Within the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention In combination, a pair of doors, latch means on the inside of one of said doors to maintain the doors in closed position, said latch means including an actuating element 1provided with a loop adjacent the hase thereof, a diagonally disposed rod operable from a distance disposed in the path of approach to the doors, a crank on the rod having a free end disposed in the loop in the closed posie, tion of the doors, said free end extending in the direction of the rod and so positioned that When the doors are in closed position it will engage in the loop.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

JOSEPH T. CRAXVLEY. 

